why is there seemingly never any R-class availability?
This might be an answered question already, and perhaps it's just a rant, so apologies where appropriate.
I'm trying to fly to Bangalore this summer. I'd LIKE to fly united, and I'd like to upgrade for the obvious reasons. However, despite BF being completely empty all through the summer - really, empty - there's no R or RN inventory. There was, about a month ago; stupidly, I was too busy thinking about other things so I didn't book.
What is with United here? Are they really going to hold all of the BF inventory hoping someone will pay? Or are miles+$ upgrades so devalued that they really don't want them?
Is there a logic being used to decide whether that inventory is available or not, beyond "no we aren't going to make it available, we'll only ever clear it last minute"?
This isn't the first time, of course. I'm rather down on the whole idea of miles+$ upgrades anymore in the first place, which makes me wonder about the usefulness of accumulating miles at all. (And I still have a presidential-plus card!)